thompson



OL W. THOMPSON.

GAGE.

f zlaLlcATloN FILED JAN. 2, 191s.

1,324,988. Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

fbg? :l

UNITED STATES*- PATENTOFFICE.

ORVILLE W. THOMPSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAGE.

. following is adescription.

hlyiiivention belongs to that general class of devices `knownas gages and particularly gages Vsuitable for low readings, as for eX- ample on a low pressure system; 'lhe invention hasarnong its objects the production of "la devic'offthe kind described that. is simple,

' cable.' I- h convenient`,"''durable,I compact, eiiicient and satisfactoryforuse wherever found applil aveshown myinvention as apg'a'gef-:lfor indicating pressure in elle Vacuum-in inches. The

' constructionI hown-fis-fdcsigned tod show accurately sllght variatlons 1n pressure to a cert ain point. andWider variations.y at higher pressures f-'l`heA same as shown 1s' also-de-V .signed t'ow-indicate'yacuum in the system in `1nches and"small variations, and aiter a cera tainfpoint'tofsliowa wider'range. The. in'- ventlon' has v particularly among its objects the prod'uctlon'offn gage of the' kind described in which there is Ano abnormalstra in on the Bourdon spring or indicator actuating-- -m:.chan1sm. 0thcr advantages` and objects will appear to those skilled' in the art. -l'rom the disclosure-herein given:

To this end m invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more ,particularly pointed out in the claims.`

` 1n the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate l like lor corresponding parts',

Figure 'l is a front view oi one i'orm of` my gage f F 1g. 21s a. plan. view ofthe same with the dial, pointer and glass front remo veci Fig. 3 is a. sectional view taken substantia-lly on lin'e 3-*3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig.' L isa view of the spring which is einploycd as an '.au'xiliary to thel Bourdon spring.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 represents a suitable casing over the iront. of which may be arranged a glass facc l, which is retained in place by the ianged ring 2 or equivalent means for the purpose. Within the casing and spaced from the face 3 isa dial it, the seme being secured in place in any suitable manner. The dial shown is constructed to Specification of Letters Ilatcnt.

indlcate both pressure and vacuum, pressure up to tive pounds in ounces and then fifteen pounds and thirty pounds, .andyacuum 1nv thirty sinehes; .The particular indication, however, is immaterial as this varies as desired and depends on the use for which the gage is designed. Movable .over the face of the .dial is an -indicatoror pointer 7 which is mounted on a spindle 8 extending through the 'dial and connected by suitable mechanisln to the Bourdon sprinv' 9. Y

The Bourdon` spring /9 's iown' lnjFi'gs.l 2

structed of suitable "material, and according to' the proper designer formula yto'givefthe Ill results which 'may be'desired. The spring'f is connected with the pipe or nipple 6, by

in the system. iVhile the particular 1necha-V nisui shown forA connecting the Bourdon spring and indicator spindle 8 forms nofpart I' ot.' the present invention, it may. bemcntioncd thatH12-12are'posts which carryspaced plates 13 and 14, between n-'hich'are arranged the pinion 15 on spindle and" spring S.' -Thc gear segment l() pivotally" Secured at 17 meshes with the pinionl.

'ends 23 and 24,'the lrce ends, however, be-

ing separated or spaced in the preferred con-f struction as shown.- Carried by the casing is a` stop member 5-2G-arranged to (20,-. operate .with the ends 23 and 'L24 of the spring. As shown, part 26 is secured to the easing by a screw 27 extended through the .slot so that the member may be adjusted as desired. T he outwardly turned or spring engaging portion of the part Z5-26 is preferably grooved as at 28 on each side at the points where the ends 23- 24 will engage therewith 'when the Bourdon spring is contracted or expanded.

When there is pressure applied to the gage, the Bourdon spring v9 tends vto extend or straighten out and through the link 18, etc.,

Patented mais, 1'919. Application filed January 2; 1918. Serial No. 209,946. i

inches to tenyinches and then twenty 'and "Isf means of which the gage may beconnectcd .i

Segment 16 is 'provided with an adjustablev extension 1 6 whieh'is connected by means o "f As .:sl1 o\'\n,- the link pivotally connected at 19 to the'- f 7- and 3 is of the well known type and con-f7- or equivalent intermediate mechanism moves the indicatorl or pointer 7. When a' predetermined pressure is reached, however, as'or example in the gage illustrated, five ounds, the spring end 24 will engage with t 1e stop 25 and the action of the Bourdon spring 9 will be retarded. That is to say, the 'end of he Bourdon spring will not move as muc.; as the pressure increases asit did-before, and consequently increased pressure will not cause as much movement of the indicator 7. The same is true of thevva'cuum, as after contraction of the Bourdon sprin to a certain pointI the same will lbe retard by the spring 21. y

While I have shown a combined `pressure and vacuum ga e, obviously the construction is applicabIe for either a pressure or vacuum gage alone. There is'no Istrain on the Bourdon spring whatever, for -pres sures or vacuum within the limits for which the gage would ordinarily be called on to indicate, no r is there any tendency in the Bourdon spring to set. The instrument may therefore be made extremely delicate and accurately indicate small variations in 'a certain range ofreadings. However, for the sake of safety the gage is constructed so that higher readings are indicated. It isV only after the pressure or vacuum has reached a predetermined point that the supplemental spring comes into action, at all other times the Bourdon spring acting free and independent.

With my improved construction there" is never any dangerof the quadrant or part 16 running out of engagement with the pinion 15. It will be noted that when the aux# iliary or supplemental spr ends 23 or 24.- engage with the stop .25,ulat the'shock and strain is first transmitted directly to the supplemental spring, sothat a considerable portion of the same is absorbed before being transmitted to the Bourdon spring. The supplemental spring-therefore to a large extent carries the shock as it is intended that it should. The deviceis therefore extremely flexible and sensitive, Aal-` though suitable for both high and low readin -f IIaving thus described my invention, it is obvious .that various immaterial modifications may bc made in the same without dcparting from the s irit of my invention, hence I do not wislito be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and 'desire vto secure by Letters Patent is l 1. In a gage, indicating mechanism, a pressure controlled tubular spring and means for operatively connecting said indicating mechanism and spring, in combination with an auxiliary spring carried by said first mentioned spring, and stop means for engaging said auxiliary spring after a predetermined movementthereof to bring said auxiliary spring into action.

A 2. In a device of the kind described, a casing, and a pressure controlled spring arranged Within the casing, in combination with an auxiliary spring carried by the first spring, a stop carried by the casing in the path of movement of the auxiliar?7 spring, 4said'auxiliary spring being normal y spaced from the stop, whereb .an initial movement of the pressure contro led spring is allowed to a predetermined point, at which point the auxiliary spring will be brought into action by contact with the stop, substan-v tially as' described.

3.. In a device of thekind described and in combination, erasing, pressure indicating mechanism arranged within the casing, inclpling a pressure controlled spring, an aux' lary spring carried by the spring, a stop a ing in the path of movement of the aux-' pressure i. justably secured to the casiliary s ring, but normally spaced there from, w ereby the initial movement of ther pressure sp'rlng is uninuenced by the aug-5 iliary spring, but further movement be ond 'a predetermined point bringsthe aux' iary spring. into action by contact with the'stop.v

4. In a gage, a casing, indicating mechanism carried thereby, a pressure controlled spring', and means for 4operating and connecting said indicating mechanism and spring, in combination with a normally inoperative 'auxiliary spring carried by the pressure spring arranged to retard the op eration of the pressure spring after a predetermined movement thereof, and adjustable means. carried by saidcasing arrangedv in the' path of the auxiliary springto bring it into action. A

5. In a gage, a casing, indicating mecha-h nism, a pressure controlled tubular spring, and means for operativel connecting said indicating mechanism an spring, in combination with an auxiliary retarding spring carried by the said tubular spring, and adjustable stop means for engaging said retarding spring after a predetermined movement thereof tol bring it into action.

6. In a gage, a casm indicating mechanism, a` pressure contro led tubular spring, and means for operatively connecting sald indicating mechanism and spring, inlcombination with means for retarding the movement of said spring after'a predetermined movement thereof, comprising an auxiliary spring carried by the pressure controlled spring at the free end thereof, and stop means carried by the casing for enga 'n said retarding spring after a predetermme movement thereof to bring it into action.

7. In a device of the kind described, indithe tubulinspring, and having; its free ends extended and brought toward each other to.'

@foi/ ide a spese between them, and :in adjustable stop ceri'ied by the casing no1'u :nelly positioned between and spaced from ilierends Qi the reterding Spying, time-onus: mg the ret-aiding spring to be brought into 'zietion' at a predeteimmed point whetlief said. rst mentioned spring is opei'eted as e .in e gage, e. easing, indicating mecha aeee mechanism. including a sprlng. carried by 1n Combination said 'first named spring for retarding the opeiation of the pressure controlled spring after a predetermined movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses..

ORVILLEW. THOMPSON.-

Witnesses: y

ROY'W.' HILL,4 CHnRLEs I. COBB. 

